Behind The Glockenspiel
by Pat2Trivia4Me
Summary: Daphne is sorting out her and her husband's storage area which causes a very symbolic piece to resurface: The Glockenspiel. Almost a decade later, Niles and Daphne's recollections of the stormy night at the masion do not quite meet eye-to-eye. When Niles removes the clock from the apartment, that's when truth be damned.
1. Chapter 1

_Behind The Glockenspiel_

The Montana: their home, shelter and comfort for two very happily married people. He proposed to her by the hearth. Niles always loved coming home to the Montana, but over the last few years, his love for the place had increased ten-fold. To just come home and curl up on the couch with her was the best part of, not only his day, but his life. Sometimes she would have wine poured or a hot beverage waiting for him and they would curl up together and talk about their day. It didn't really matter what they talked about, just as long as they always took the time to talk and share each other's company.

He lovingly touched his thumb to his wedding band as he pulled into the parking structure of the Montana. In just moments, he would be leaning back on his couch with Daphne leaning back against him in the wonderful way she always had.

"Briefcase," he said aloud to himself after he parked. You see, when Niles gets close to seeing Daphne, he has trouble focusing on the little details in life. He stepped out of the car and took up his briefcase. "And lock." He locked the car and headed for the elevator.

When he took the elevator up and came through the door, his heart sank. For Daphne wasn't there to greet him with a welcome home beverage like he had anticipated. Instead, she was in an old t-shirt and blue jeans and large rubber gloves on. She was still beautiful no matter what attire she wore. There were boxes and boxes of things all over the apartment.

"Hello dear," Daphne came over to him, removing her gloves as she did, to give him a kiss. How was your day?"

"It was fine. What's all this?" he asked in a bewildered way.

"Well, I started, what you may call, Spring Cleaning and then decided to bring some boxes up from your storage space."

"Well… do you need some help?"

"No, you get yourself a drink and relax. I'm just going to pop back down to the storage area to fetch anotha box. Be right back."

"Oh… alright." He looked about the apartment as she left. "Where?" Where indeed could he sit to relax? Boxes were on every level service including the couch, fainting couch and dining room chairs. He managed to find a place to put his briefcase and went over to open a bottle of red wine. Pouring himself some, he went over and stood by the couch. He tried to perch himself… to sit on the arm of the chair, but it just wasn't in him. He decided to stand rather that to start moving things around that Daphne had already worked on.

When he tipped his glass up for another drink, something caught his eye. Over on the shelf, tucked back behind his mezzo soprano CDs. Why it was his Glockenspiel. Niles and Maris had bought it on their honeymoon in Zurich.

"Doctor Crane, your Glockenspiel has sprung to life!" Niles smiled as he remembered Daphne telling him that the night of the storm at his old house.

Maris had given it to him at the settlement of the divorce. Niles always thought she wanted it. Perhaps it was her way of making certain that Niles would think of her often. He always felt this way and that is why he boxed it and put it down in the storage. A concerned look swept across his face. But why would it be behind his CDs? He understood why it was out. Daphne was organizing things from storage, of course, but why was it on the shelf and why was it tucked back behind the CDs?


	2. Chapter 2

_Behind The Glockenspiel_

Niles stared at the Glockenspiel for quite some time.

It was a dark and stormy night and the wind whipped against the windows like it was begging to be let in out of the rain and lightning. It was so resourceful, that it was even darting down the chimney and causing a bit of a draft by the hearth. He was expecting Daphne over. You see, she was coming over to help prepare a meal for Maris. It was Niles' apology dinner for being caught in the closet by the maid as he wore nothing but an eye-patch waiting to romantically surprise Maris.

He could smile about it now. It sure wasn't funny back then, so it was refreshing to find humor in it now.

On the winter night, when the heavens poured down, Daphne had to park further away from the house because a tree was down in his drive. It was a good thing that he had already banished that fireplace draft and had started a healthy fire because when she arrived, she was soaked. And she was heartbroken. Why that boyfriend of hers had broken up with her earlier. What was his name? Derik? No, it was Eric. Now he was just a name; water under the bridge. Niles and Daphne were very happily married.

"Niles, did your wrist watch falter again?" Frasier said as he placed his coffee down at Niles' table at Nervosa.

"No. No, this is the Glockenspiel that Maris and I purchased on our honeymoon."

Frasier took a seat. "I see. And why is it here?"

"Well, Daphne was sorting out our storage area and it ended up in the living room." Niles inhaled and sighed slowly.

"I see. And why is it here?"

The storm had caused the lights to go out at the mansion. He lit her a candle and sent her upstairs to change out of those wet clothes – to get something out of Maris' closet. While she did so, he found more candles to set out and light. Maris had called and couldn't make it back from the location of her day spa; Sedona, Arizona. He and the true love of his life were completely alone, yet he was indeed still married to Maris.

He played the piano in the illumination of candles to pass the time. When Daphne came downstairs, she was in a silk, white night gown that simply took his breath away. She was simply stunning. It was a time in their lives that the forbidden fruit of life was just one short leap of becoming passion fruit. It was a time where Maris was pushed into the background of his life. Unbridle passions were… well... bridled that night.

She opened up to him that night. She poured out her feelings of her view on relationships and he comforted her, making her realize that the weaknesses she found in the ways she viewed relationships were actually her strengths to be so warm and loving.

"I'm glad we ended up like this tonight," she told him while laying on their large Persian rug with a pillow comfortably propping her head up by the sofa. "It's just so nice being with a man you feel so comfortable with. I feel very close to you."

"I feel very close to you too, Daphne." His heart was warm. It was comfortably beating at a rapid pace as he tripped over his own words to tell her how nice it was to be with her. She had closed her eyes as she rested comfortably. He remembered the details as if it was yesterday and not almost a decade away.

His head began to swim as he leaned over her. The desire to press his lips to hers was just a bit overpowering to ignore. Daphne Moon was just inches from a passionate kiss. Daphne Moon laying right below him in a silk night gown that look like it was tailored just for her. She was so beautiful. So darn angelic. To taste her lips for but a moment would be like sipping the waters of paradise itself. Once he started to lean into her, it just felt so right. There were no repercussions, there were no reprisals, no regrets. It felt so darn right for it to be wrong or regretted. This moment… this very moment would change their lives forever. Oh Daphne… Daphne Moon…

"Niles?" Frasier said in a drawn out manner with a hint of accusation.

Of course, the accusation was well warranted. He hadn't heard a word his brother said in the last five minutes and his eyes moved from the Glockenspiel to his brother sitting across the Nervosa table. "I'm so sorry Frasier, my mind must have drifted off."

"Need I ask a third time?" He lifted that eyebrow of his.

Niles shook his head as if he was shaking off the fantasy and refocusing himself. "Right, the clock. I'm taking it to the antique store." There was a pause that spoke volumes of his words of regret. "I'm going to sell it."

"Ah yes, the burning of the old relationship memoirs."

Niles shot his brother a look, almost surprise that he had understood so well. Then again, why wouldn't he? He was a psychiatrist. "That's right."

"Oh, don't act so surprised you ninny, I've had experiences in my life too. Is this something that Daphne asked you to do?"

"Absolutely not," he rebounded to the question as if he had taken offense to it. "Why, I don't think she would ever ask such a thing of me. Daphne and I have a solid relationship that has no needs for any 'burning of old relationship memoirs', be it tradition or not."

"Oh, do calm down Niles, it's just a damn clock."

"How dare you sir!"

"Niles, I'm simply stating that it's not like it's a box of love letters or such. Does Daphne know that you're getting rid of it?"

"No." He touched the base of it. "No, she doesn't."

"When you look at it, what values do you see in it?"

"Well, it is a Glockenspiel, need I say more?"

"Of course." Frasier sincerely agreed with him on the clock's face value.

"Well… it is a handsome clock and it is a key to the solid foundation to the events that has helped to shape who I am today."

"Ah-ha!"

Niles abruptly stood and snatched up his clock. "Oh damn you Frasier! Can't you stop analyzing everything for once?" Of course Niles regretted snapping at his brother the moment he did, but sometimes there is no deep seeded mystery about everything. He just needed someone to talk to for a moment and not be prodded and verbally dissected. He had turned on his heels and was out the door. There would be plenty of opportunities to apologize to Frasier later.


	3. Chapter 3

_Behind The Glockenspiel_

He watched the man, the clerk at the antique store, put the money in his hand like it was all in slow motion. The money had transferred hands and the clock was no longer his. Farewell Maris, he thought, but the thought was overridden. What if he had kissed Daphne that night? What if, for sake of argument, he had leaned over and kissed her with her eyes closed?

He knew the answer, didn't he? It was almost like flipping a coin into the air. If it were to land on heads, Daphne would have called out his name in such an accusing manner. She would be riddling him with questions in order to maintain… no, repair their relationship. She would clearly state that he was a married man thus indicating how much she disapproved of his actions. She would insist on getting back into her damp clothes; the outfit that she wore there that wouldn't have been completely dry. She would state the reasons why they would only be friends at best and request that they not see each other for quite some time.

If the coin landed on tails, would there be hope? On the contrary, if the coin landed on tails, Daphne would have pushed him away and perhaps a slap to the face would have followed. She would have gone from feeling so comfortable with him to feeling just the opposite. She would have insisted that she leave immediately and she would have walked down the driveway in the rain to her car. She would have driven back to Frasier's during the storm. Every time he would come over, she would feel like covering up. She would feel betrayed and disrespected. The feeling would be overbearing and she may even quit and move out to be out of his life forever. The hypothetical thought made him shudder and feel sick inside.

If the coin landed on its edge… although the chance was oh so slim… if it did indeed land on its edge… then Daphne would have brought a hand to the back of his head and she would have kissed him back. She would have yearned for his touch. "Doctor Crane, what is the meaning of this?"

He would look into her beautiful eyes and try to find the words. "Daphne Moon, I am in love with you. I have been for quite some time."

"I know."

"You do?" He would be taken back.

"I had one of me visions. We were making out all night long. Only it wasn't here. It was at your brotha's place."

"How do you feel about us, Daphne? You must know how I feel about you. Can you see it in my eyes? Can you feel it in my heart? But I need to know. I need you to tell me."

"Doctor Crane, it doesn't matter how I feel."

"Daphne, it matters… it matters oh so much… it matters to me. It means everything to me."

"But you're married Doctor Crane. You have a wife. This isn't right."

"If you think there is the slightest chance for us, I will divorce Maris. I will. If you give me the slightest chance, that's all I ask and I won't need a second chance and I would love to prove just how much I love you."

"I can't."

"Daphne. I'm going to need more than that. The way you were kissing me just now, I have to know… I have to know why?"

"I can't deny me feelings for you Doctor Crane, but if I said yes, I would forever be the woman that broke up your marriage."

"No-no…" He would take a deep breath. "Daphne… Oh, Daphne… if you could just look inside my heart right now, you would only find yourself in there. Maris and I are married, it's true. But she is just my wife. She has never really been a friend to me. With you, it's not just an obsession or fascination. Oh, Daphne Moon, can't you look deeper into my eyes and see that Maris is the other woman… I mean, she is second to you." He would take her hand and place it to the center of his chest. "Can't you feel my heart thundering in my chest for you? I love you Daphne Moon. I cannot deny it any longer."

She would get up from where she was laying on the rug and start to tear up. "I'm sorry Doctor Crane. I can't be the cause of your failed marriage. I couldn't live with that guilt."

"Then… I'm still going to divorce Maris." His face was flushed with emotion.

"You're what?"

"I'm going to divorce Maris. Even if you and I don't have a chance to be together, you have showed me the true meaning of love and that is something that Maris and I just don't have."

"Doctor Crane…"

"No, don't try to talk me out of it. What Maris and I have is convenience that is legalized by a marriage certificate. Daphne… you will NEVER be the other woman, regardless of what happens after my divorce."

A tear would run down her cheek. "Doctor Crane, perhaps you should think this through."

"I have. I can't stop thinking about it." He would retrieve his phone and activate the speed-dial to Maris' cell. "Maris, this is Niles. Yes, well I've been doing some thinking. I've thought long and hard about this. I'll sorry, but I am not happy in our marriage and I will be filing for a divorce… Yes, I am so sorry to tell you over the phone like this, but I needed to tell you immediately. We need to discuss this just as soon as you retur… Very well, if that's the way you want it, I can't blame you. Good-bye Maris." He would hang up.

"What did she say?"

"She wants me to move out before she returns tomorrow. It's not irrational, considering."

Daphne would walk into his arms to give him a hug. "I'm so sorry Doctor Crane."

"Don't be Daphne. I'm the one starting the proceedings. And I don't want you to blame yourself. You just opened my eyes on what love should be. Perhaps someday…"

She would press her lips to his and show him all the passion that he desired from her.

"My God… Daphne. Does this mean…?"

"You get your divorce. Then give me a ring on the phone. You've got me numba."

"Oh my God Daphne." He kissed her again.

"We'll have no more of that until after the divorce. But be ready, I'll be wanting to make up for some lost time."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" The clerk at the antique shop brought Niles back to reality.

"No. I'm sorry, my mind must have been somewhere else." Then he smiled. He thought about going home and gluing four quarters together. You see, there would be a much more probable chance for four coins glued together to land on their sides when flipped.


	4. Chapter 4

_Behind The Glockenspiel_

In order to take the time to go to the antique store, Niles had to reschedule a patient and that meant coming home late. He told Daphne he would be. After work, he stopped to get a Pinot Noir for their dinner. While he was out, he also decided to pick her up some flowers.

"Niles, flowers? You're always doing things like that." Daphne kissed him. "You're so sweet."

"Oh and I smell dinner, it smells so good. Thank you so much. It has been a very long day and I just hope to take a shower and slip into bed."

"You're going to thank me even more Niles," she said with a smile.

"Oh, why is that?"

"I didn't cook it. I had it catered."

"Oh Daphne." He hugged and kissed her, hoping to not make her feel badly about her cooking, but they had an understanding.

Eight once steaks with steamed carrots and broccoli. Also accompanied with whipped potatoes topped with shredded cheese melted over the top and thin, brown gravy. It was a welcomed sight.

Niles opened the wine while Daphne got a vase for her flowers. They dinned by candlelight and talked about their daily events. It was a wonderful meal. Afterwards, they had their wine on the couch. Daphne had him lean back on her front while she gave him a wonderful neck and shoulder massage. Niles smiled and rolled his eyes in complete serenity.

The neck massage turned into gently scratching his scalp. Oh, that always got his foot going line a dog in the sun being scratched in the spot that always got that leg going.

She did the dishes while he took a nice hot shower. What a wonderful way to end a long day.

After his shower, he felt the bed calling to him. He slipped on his pajamas and could feel the arms of Morpheus calling him. He lay on their bed with the memory foam pad and felt like he was being held by a cloud.

He started to drift off when he heard his wife calling to him.

"What? What's that dear?"

Daphne called again from the down stairs. "I asked where the clock is?"

"The clock? Do you mean the Glockenspiel?"

"Yes, that's the one?"

"I got rid of it today."

"You what?" she said in a disbelieving tone.


	5. Chapter 5

_Behind The Glockenspiel_

"I took it to the antique store and I sold it earlier today," he told her once she came into the bedroom.

There was a look of dismay on her face. "Oh… well why did you want to sell it?"

"Well, you know Maris and I bought it on our honeymoon. That's part of my past. The sentimental value just wasn't there anymore."  
"Oh… well, well-done." Yet there was something in her eyes when she turned from him that made him sit up in bed.

"Daphne? Is there something you're not telling me… about the clock?"

"Don't be silly. Of course not. It was yours and Maris' clock. There is no good reason to keeping it around if it reminded you of her, now is there?"

"Absolutely not." But he sensed there was more. "Daphne, did you like that clock?"

"Well, it was a beautiful clock Niles. It was a Glockenspiel. It was nice, but I'd rather it be gone for your reasons."

"That's my girl." He got out of bed to go over and hug her. He even stole a kiss. "If you'd like, we can go buy another clock this weekend. Are you coming to bed?"

"In a minute. I want to take a shower."

"Very well my love." He climbed into bed and turned to say something, but she had just closed the bathroom door. "I know an exquisite shop across town that specializes in clocks. They have some magnificent pieces from Grandfather clocks to pocket watches. We'll make a day of it."

"That sounds great," she said from the bathroom.

"Any clock you want. Nothing's too good for my angle."

"Alright Niles."

But what he didn't know was that her voice wasn't coming from the center of the bathroom. No. Instead, it was coming from just the other side of the door where Daphne began leaning on it. She slid to the floor and sat there with her knees up. The tears were at bay. "It was just a dumb old clock," she whispered to herself.

"Daphne, I'm tired."

"Alright." She picked herself up off of the floor and started the shower. It was Niles' way of telling her that he would like her to hurry in the bathroom. He loved falling asleep with her by his side. He loved her resting her head on his chest, but most nights they fell asleep holding each other's hands. It was tradition with them. She loved how much they were in love. She looked into the mirror and wiped away a tear. She loved that man. He was so loving and full of passion. They were lucky together and there would never be a moment where either one of them would overlook it. They were blessed. The tears started back. She asked herself why she was crying. It was just a clock. She disrobed and stepped into the shower where the tears were washed away and any new ones could not be determined. She looked down at the drain as if that is where her tears would completely be wash away to.

[ 1901 11:31]

The doorbell rang. Martin hobbled out of the kitchen and when over to answer it. "Hey Niles, ya just missed Daph by a few minutes. Come on in."

"Right, the stretching exercises," he acknowledged as she entered the apartment and closed the door behind him. "Frasier left for work?"

"Yeah," he said on the way to the kitchen. "Hey, I was just about to make a sandwich. Care to join me? Frasier bought a whole bunch of cold cuts from the butcher. Maybe you can help me determine what is what. God forbid I eat some of his expensive bison or whatever the hell he buys."

"No Dad, thank you, no. I came to talk to you."

"Oh really? What about? Come on in the kitchen while I build one of those Dagwood sandwiches, the kind ya can barely fit into your mouth."

"Oh, alright." He followed his father into the kitchen as if tethered along by some imaginary line. "Dad…" When he reached the kitchen, he realized that he was talking to the back side of this father as he stuck his head into the refrigerator to research its content. He waited to address his father's face.

He came back up with not just a handful of butcher shop bundles, but eight of them and then he went back for the tomatoes, Lettice, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, ranch dressing and even from precooked bacon. "What's on your mind son?"

"Funny you should say that, because 'Alka-Seltzer' comes to mind."

Martin's head went back into the refrigerator. "Ah damn. We're outta relish."

"Dad, you already have pickles and they're the long sandwich sliced kind you enjoy so."

"Niles, how many times I gotta tell ya. Pickles are just not the same as relish."

"They are so. If you would like, I can dice up your pickles and you can enjoy the richness of you insanity."

"You get a different bite with each and people say that they taste the same, but they really don't."

"If you dice an onion, you can call it tortellini, but it's still onion."

"If I had some relish, I could give you a side-by-side sampling."

"Oh for God's sakes Dad, I'm not going to be sampling any…" He took a deep breath. "Dad, I didn't come her to argue about the contents of your sandwich. I need to talk to you about Daphne."

Now he had Martin's full attention. "Oh, what is it Niles?"

"How was she when she was here? Did she act a little different?"

"Different? What do ya mean?"

"Well, did she mention a clock of Glockenspiel?"

"Uh-uh. Oh damn."

"What is it?"

"I've asked Frasier a million times to get me some yellow mustard. Look what he brings home, Grey Poupon. I just want some French's yellow mustard. How can you mess that up?"

"Dad!"

"I'm sorry son. No, she didn't say anything to me. She did seem a little preoccupied."

"Preoccupied? How so?"

"She's usually very talkative, but not today. Hey, shouldn't you be going to the source? Why don't you ask her what's on her mind?"

"Oh, I've tried that last night and this morning. I knew she was coming over this morning, so I thought you might have an insight."

"What's this all about?" he asked as he piled on the meat.

"Good heavens Dad, why did Frasier buy all this meat?"

"Ah, we got into a little riff. I told him that there was never anything to eat in this house, so, you know your bother, he always over-exaggerates. You want some of this?"

"Thank you, no. Daphne took the Glockenspiel from storage. It was the one Maris and I bought in Zurich while on our honeymoon. Well, I sold it and now Daphne seems… well bothered by it."

"Did you ask her why?"

"Yes, many times this morning at breakfast. She keeps refusing to confide in me."

"Maybe it's none of your damn business."

"Excuse me."

"Maybe she has her reasons. It was a big part of your history with Maris so of course she wanted you to do with it what you wanted. Her opinion would seem trivial to your reasons."

Niles smiled. "That's preposterous Daphne would have just told me and we would have both understood and respected each other's actions and feelings."

"Ah, that's what you do for a living though, isn't it?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He took a defensive tone.

"You psychiatrists do you poking and prodding to find the answers even if they're not meant to be found."

"It's best to get things out in the open rather than bottling them up."

"Blah-blah-blah. I've heard it all before. I live with Frasier, remember? Listen to your old man, I know this is going to be eating away at you and you will have to get to the bottom of this for your sake, but for God's sake, take it easy on Daphne. She's your wife not a patient. She's not a mystery to solve."

Niles dropped his head like he was a ten year old who had just been scolded. "Yes-sir. I know."

Martin smiled. "A mystery to solve. To boldly go where no man has gone before."

"Yes, trying to figure out women," he joked with his father.

"I tell you the one about the man on a deserted island who found a Jeanie bottle?"

"No."

"He'd been stranded for years. He found this bottle and opened it. This Jeanie appears and offers to grant him a wish. The man says, 'I've been stranded here for years. Build me a bridge to Hawaii.' The Jeanie says, 'A bridge of such size would take a lot of strength and magic. It could topple over on me if it were to collapse. How about a different wish?' The man says, 'Well, I've been married several times. How about explaining women to me?' The Jeanie replies, 'Would you like that bridge one lane or two?'" Martin laughed out loud.

And they laughed together.


	6. Chapter 6

_Behind The Glockenspiel_

When Niles came home that night, Daphne hurried over to take his brief case and rain coat and to kiss him.

"Dinna's almost ready. It will just be a moment."

After she hung up his coat, he took her by the hand. "Daphne, can I have a word with you for a moment?"

"Sure."

"Come have a seat here." He turned one of the kitchen table chairs around so she would be facing him and not the table. When she sat, he crouched down beside her with one knee down. "I wanted to talk to you about the clock."

She took a deep breath. "Niles please…"

"No, please hear me out. I did some soul searching and discovered another reason why I wanted that clock out of here so quickly."

"There was?" She looked at him with great interest.

"Do you recall several years back, that night you came over to help prepare an apology meal for Maris? It was the night the Glockenspiel started working again. We were by the hearth of the fireplace."

She nodded. "It was the night of the storm and the lights went out."

"That's right. Maris was stuck in Arizona."

She nodded. "I remember."

"Well, there's something about that night… this isn't easy for me to say… it's actually more difficult than I had imagined."

An alarm went off in the kitchen. "Oh", Daphne said as she jumped up. "I've got to pull me rump out of the fire." She headed for the kitchen.

Niles tried to speak, but the words got caught in his mouth. "O-oh! A rump roast. Yes, of course."

When she returned to the room, she was removing her oven mitts. "Sorry about that Niles. Had to save me rump." She sat back down where he was still down on one knee. "You were saying?"

"Daphne, the night of the storm, I almost did something… well, that I'm not very proud of."

"What is it?"

"This may be upsetting for you to hear…"

The phone rang. "Do you want me to get that?" she asked.

"No, let it ring. Daphne…" But it continued to ring. "I'll get it." He went over and snatched it up. Damn these interruptions. "Hello," his word was more of a statement than the standard question when answering a phone.

"Niles, Frasier. Listen can you meet with me tomorrow…"

"Frasier, I'm terribly sorry, but you've called at a really bad time. I'll have to call you back."

"Alright, but I just wanted to ask you…"

Niles hung up.

"I've never seen you have such a short conversation with your brotha."

"Oh, I hung up on him."

"Niles," she said in an accusing manner. Neither one of them had to say it. They knew how much Frasier disapproved about things like being hung up on.

"I know. I'll make it up to him later." He went back over to her chair and took his place again, kneeling on one knee. "Daphne, on the night of that storm, I…"

"Yes?"

"Before I tell you, and you're probably going to hate me for this, could I get a hug and a kiss and tell you again just how absolutely beautiful you are and how very much I love you."

"Oh, of course you can." She leaned over and hugged him tight. "I could never be mad at you long. I love you too."

He kissed her longingly and then stared into those warm maple eyes. "I do love you."

She smiled. "Why don't you just tell me what you want to tell me?"

"On that night, just before the Glockenspiel sprang to life…"

"Yes?"

"I was going to kiss you." There it was, he said it. A weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He was nervous about telling her, but he didn't think she would take it too hard. After all, it was water under the bridge. They were married now.

Instead of Daphne giving it a laugh and embracing him, her face drained from color and lost all expression.

"Daphne, please don't be mad at me. I love you. I've always loved you. And I know I shouldn't have tried to kiss you. I know I was still married. And…" Niles continued to babble on about how sorry he was and as he did, he could see the preverbal coin flipping in air. Now that they were married, heads and tails couldn't have been as damaging as if he'd actually kissed her back during that storm, but he was sure wishing that that fictional coin would land on its edge. "Don't hate me. I felt the guilt of what I had almost done. That's why I sold the clock so quickly. Daphne, say something."

She took a hold of his hand with a firm grip unlike any other time she'd grabbed his hand. "I'm not mad," she said as she stared through him. "But Niles, we've GOT to get that clock back."

"Daphne, you're scaring me. Whatever do you mean, we have to get the clock back?"


	7. Chapter 7

_Behind The Glockenspiel_

"You want the clock back?" he asked.

The color was returning to her face. "Niles, that clock saved your marriage."

"Well… yes, but I don't think that's anything to really celebrate about."

"Our marriage Niles. If that clock interrupted you about to kiss me, than it stopped what would have been a huge mistake."

"What? What do you mean? How did it save our marriage?" His eyes widened at such an accusation.

"If you would have kissed me, it could have ended your marriage. I couldn't live with that. If I was the cause of your marriage ending, I couldn't stand to have stolen somebody from their marriage."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that things happen for a reason. I think if you would have kissed me while you were married, we probably wouldn't be together today."

"Daphne!"

"Yes Niles."

"We've got to find that clock!" He started to get up, but she stopped him.

"There's something that I must tell you and I feel completely awful about it."

"Daphne what is it?" He knew something had been troubling her about the clock and this was it. What was she going to say?

"It's the reason I was fond of the clock."

"Yes Daphne, what is it?" What could it possibly be?

"I…"

"Yes?"

"On that stormy night, I wanted you to kiss me."

"WHAT?"

"I wanted you to kiss me."

It was time for Niles to lose all the color in his face as he fell back off his knee and onto his posterior. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Daphne."

"There was the candles and the fire in the fireplace. I was in that silk night gown."

"You wanted me to kiss you?"

"It was just a moment in our lives. I knew it was wrong. I was weak. I felt so guilty about it. Perhaps that's why I didn't see you were about to kiss me. I thought that it was just all in me head. And perhaps trying to push these feelings and ambitions out of me mind."

"You wanted me to kiss you?"

"I thought you could read the signs and I was so embarrassed about them."

"There were signs?"

"Niles dear, when a woman dressed in nothing but a silk gown lays down in front of a handsome man who's practically leaning over her and she closes her eyes, she expects to be kissed."

"Oh my God, Daphne." Niles started to hyperventilate.

"Niles, I'm so sorry. Take some deep breaths. I'm right here with you."

"Daphne… If I had… kissed you…"

She looked deep and longingly into his eyes. "I would have kissed you back. We probably would have made love right there where we were. Glimmering bodies by the light of the fireplace."

Niles started hyperventilating harder. "Daphne…" He gasped for breath. "You're not helping."

"Well, here's a show-stopper for you: by the time we got hot and heavy in a grab and a tickle, it's about the time Frasa would have been pounding on the back windows." She leaned over and kissed him longingly. When she pulled back, he signed heavily. "Is that better?"

"Why, you know, it is." He was no longer breathing heavy. He signed again, "You know that clock does have some wonderful memories behind it."

"Yes, especially the ones you just found out about."

"I love you so much Daphne. You make me so happy."

"And you make me happy Niles. I love you so." She kissed him again.

"So that's why you were so fond of the clock. It reminded you of when you wanted me to kiss you?"

"Yes, the first time I wanted you to kiss me."

"We've got to get that clock back." He jumped up.

"This antique store, is it still open this time of night?"

"We'd better go see."

"What about dinner?"

"Can you put it up for later?"

"I suppose so."

"I'm sorry, we just have no time to lose. We've got to get to that antique store."

"With all that talk, I was hoping we could have a little roll in the hay before we shoved off."

"Quickly..." Niles ran for the staircase. "Quickly."

Daphne scampered off right up behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

_Behind The Glockenspiel_

Frasier came through the door.

"What are you doing here?" Martin asked.

Frasier accentuated each word, "I live here."

"I thought you had a date."

"She cancelled on me."

"Oh," he said unenthusiastically.

"Why do you have to say it like that Dad?"

"Like what?"

"Like it's no big surprise that my date canceled on me."

"Well Niles and Daphne are coming over for dinner tonight."

"Niles and Daphne are having dinner here?"

"Yes, they came by earlier today and I invited them."

"They came over this morning?"

"Yeah, Niles sold some clock to an antique store and they went to buy it back today."

Frasier stopped to think as he hung up his rain coat. "Yes, I recall Niles telling me to mind my business of the whole ordeal. I'm paraphrasing of course. I hope they were able to get it back."

"No, it was bought up before they could get it back."

"Well perhaps the store owner would be willing to give him information on the buyer."

"No chance. They tried everything they could think of."

"That's a shame. So, what do you have to serve our quests tonight?"

"I'm making sandwiches."

"Oh dear God, you ARE NOT serving them DELI MEATS for dinner."

"Well, what do you suggest smarty-pants?"

"I'll whip up a soufflé."

By the time Niles and Daphne showed up, they looked exhausted. "Hey there they are," Martin said with an upbeat tone.

"Any luck with the clock," Frasier asked.

Niles did a double take. "Frasier, what are you doing here? I thought you had a date."

"She canceled on me."

"Oh," Niles said.

"Can someone sound surprised every once and a while when I tell them my date canceled on me?"

"I'm sorry Frasier. And I'm sorry about everything else. I shouldn't have snapped at you at Nervosa. You were only trying to help. The loss of our Glockenspiel has me in the most tainted mood. Please accept my apology."

"Apology accepted Niles. Let me get the appetizers." He went into the kitchen. "I was planning on serving crow, but decided this would be best." He returned from the kitchen with the clock.

"Oh my God, our Glockenspiel!" He hurried over where Frasier set it on the table. "Frasier… how…"

"Well Niles, after our little talk at Nervosa, I didn't think you were quite ready to let it go. So I went over to our favorite antique store."

"How could you be so sure we would want it back?"

"I had a hunch. If I was wrong, I could have just sold it again… But I'm rarely wrong." He shot them a look.

"Oh Frasier," Niles shook his hand followed by a hug. "Thank you."

Daphne waited her turn to hug him. "Thank you Frasa." She kissed his cheek.

"Well done son," Martin added.

They enjoyed Frasier's soufflé, but they were more interested in getting the clock back home.

When they got it home, they found a place to set it out. They decided to reenact the stormy night so many years ago. They started a nice fire, got out the wine, lit several candles and doused all the lights. Daphne found a white silk night gown, much like she wore back then. They relived the night, but this time, with a much different ending.

After an evening they would never forget, they went up to bed.

"I can't believe that we were like two ships passing in the night that night," Niles commented.

"Yeah, headed for a collision course."

Niles laughed in agreement.

"Kind of reminds me of me thyroid pills." She laid her head upon his chest.

"Your thyroid pills? What do you mean by that?"

~ End ~


End file.
